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drawing stations for onsite screenings and examinations at businesses, schools, churches and other organizations "where the people are," says Dr. Stover. "We made the decision a number of years ago to pay more attention to patient preference and patient con- venience, and to take healthcare to where the patient lives. This mobile unit literally does that." He expla ins that the purpose of this unit is not only to extend Akron General's reach, but also to make people understand the importance of health screenings — to assess health risks early on before those risks become problems. This message of wellness and prevention is also the impetus behind expanding the reach of Akron General's radio show now known as "Health Connection," which origina lly a ired in 2005 on WAKR in Akron. (Dr. Stover was the original host.) Today, the program can be heard throughout Northeast Ohio on WTAM in Cleveland and nationally on iHeart Radio. " S o we've i nve s t e d i n ke epi n g people healthy and out of the hospital," Dr. Stover explains. "But we've also made investments for those people who need inpatient/hospital care . . . to help the sickest of the sick." Many of those investments have been the result of strategic partnerships. Akron General's Neuroscience Institute is a prime example. Strategic Partnering The Neuroscience Institute, which was completed in 2013, was Akron General's largest inpatient investment in half a century. It began as a concept brought to Dr. Stover and other Akron General decision-makers by a group of neurologists and neurosurgeons who wanted to offer the full spectrum of neuro services in Akron. "This whole strategy around neurosci- ences that we put into place two years ago was a major investment . . . more than $30 million. And it was the direct result of partnering with our physi- cians — not hiring docs, but actually partnering with them — to meet the needs of the community." The Neuroscience Institute is quite impressive, with state-of-the-art tech- nology never before seen in a Summit County hospital. Reportedly, only a handful of hospitals in the U.S. have all of the components that Akron General now has: intraoperative CT, intraoperative MRI, Brainsuite, Smart OR technology and a neuro-intervention lab that rivals all others. And everything, including a dedicated Neuro ICU, is all together on one f loor within a short walking distance to improve patient care and patient safety. "There will always be sick and injured people that need to be cared for in a hospital, and Akron General has always done that very well," says Dr. Stover, "so we were excited to partner on the Neuroscience Institute." Dr. Stover is also excited about the prospect of partnering in the near future with a larger healthcare organiza- tion — one that will help secure Akron General's mission into the next century and beyond. Although he currently can offer no other details, he promises that whoever is chosen will raise the bar financially and clinically. "When I leave here — and I'm not sure when that will be — I want to make sure that this place is better than when I got here. And that it will continue to be here for centuries to come." The Akron General 100th Anniversary celebration began with the re-naming of Wabash Avenue to Akron General Avenue. It will continue through 2014 with a series of events, highlighted by a major community gala planned for August 23, 2014. For more information, visit akrongeneral.org. ■ PHOTO COURTESY OF AKRON GENERAL HEALTH SYSTEM Akron General's Neuroscience Institute is quite impressive, with state-of-the-art technology including intraoperative CT, intraoperative MRI, Brainsuite and Smart OR technology. Reportedly, only a handful of hospitals nationwide have all of these components. 1 0 | Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 1 4